Chapter 0641 – Harvest at the Gates of the Underworld
With a single cast, two yin corpses were reeled in.
Each time, it was effortlessly easy to pull the corpses from the Yellow Springs River. The moment the hook pierced into a corpse, its connection with the Holy River of the Yellow Springs was instantly cut off—clean and absolute. One cast, two bodies. The speed was staggering. Every second, a new cast was thrown and a fresh catch was made.
The corpses being reeled in were varied—some human, others from fierce beasts and monsters.
While fishing, Yi Tianxing specifically targeted large-bodied beasts and monsters. The larger the corpse, the greater the yin energy and power contained within. In fact, it was astonishing. Most of these corpses were sent straight into the Chaos Space, where they were broken down and refined into Chaos Qi.
A select few, those with high quality and complete forms, were deliberately preserved.
Just as others might imagine, Yi Tianxing had also considered it: these yin corpses were even more perfect and refined than those buried in extremely yin-heavy places. They were ideal for corpse refining—some were even top-tier candidates for turning into zombies, if they could develop sentience.
Whether for his own use, for sale, or for placing in the Treasure Hall for citizens of the city to exchange for, these yin corpses were rare and priceless treasures. They existed only in the Underworld. Their rarity made them precious beyond compare.
This was no exaggeration.
Such rare resources had to be preserved in part—no matter how endless the Yellow Springs River seemed, with an infinite number of corpses floating within, it was still wise to store some for future use.
"Are there any taboos when it comes to fishing for corpses in the Yellow Springs River?" Yi Tianxing asked the Soul Ferryman.
"None. Fish up as many as you want. If you have the ability to pull them out, that's your business."The Soul Ferryman replied with his usual cold detachment. He had no further interest in speaking—clearly still displeased about not getting a deal for the Death God's Fishing Rod. There had been no confrontation or hostility, but neither was there warmth or enthusiasm.
"Good. Then I won't hold back."
With that reassurance, Yi Tianxing cast all hesitation aside.
His Death God Fishing Rod moved tirelessly, pulling up yin corpses in vast quantities. As the skeletal raft drifted forward along the river, yin corpses were harvested like rice in a field—reaped in great swathes.
Each one brought surging energy into the Heavenly Emperor's Tower.
Previously, the tower's inner world had been compressed due to the addition of a new space created by the fishing rod. But now, it rapidly recovered—then began to expand even more. It was like climbing a heavenly staircase: each cast was a new step. He could clearly feel the tower evolving.
Rather than fatigue, Yi Tianxing felt pure joy and exhilaration. Nowhere else in the world had ever offered such an opportunity to grow the tower this rapidly.
This was a land of bounty. A land of harvest.
"If I could fish up all the corpses from the Yellow Springs River... just how powerful would the Heavenly Emperor's Tower become?"
The thought came unbidden to his mind.
But he knew it was only a fantasy. There was no telling how long they could stay here. Pulling out a few corpses might be harmless—but if done on a large scale, it could very well violate some unspeakable taboo.
Yi Tianxing didn't trust the Soul Ferryman's assurances. Who could say what ancient rules were embedded in this realm?
"Where are we headed?"Jiang Ni suddenly asked.
They looked toward the shores of the Yellow Springs. Though far off, cultivators' sharp eyes could still see the surroundings clearly—piles of bones covering the banks. No one knew how many dead were there, nor what lay beyond the visible terrain.
"The Gates of the Underworld."The Soul Ferryman spoke coldly.
"The Gates of the Underworld?"Song Yuting cried out in alarm.
"You're living beings. The Underworld does not permit the living to linger. You must either die or leave. The path out lies through the Gates of the Underworld. Reach them, and you may return to the mortal world."The ferryman's voice was chillingly calm.
"Where are the gates?"Jiang Ni rasped.
"They can appear anywhere—there is no fixed location. They may manifest at any time or place. If you find them, you can leave."The ferryman replied.
"But finding the gates won't be easy..."Yi Tianxing thought to himself.
They were currently on the river. If the gates appeared on land, that meant they'd have to go ashore—and who knew what horrors awaited them there? The path ahead would be no smooth road.
It could be riddled with peril.
No one on the raft spoke.
The dangers of this place had already made themselves very real.
Three people had already died. No one knew who might be next. It could be anyone—it could be themself.
Yi Tianxing didn't stop. His fishing rod swung in a frenzy, hauling in corpse after corpse.
Such a rare opportunity to expand the Heavenly Emperor's Tower couldn't be missed. Who knew when such a chance would arise again? With each yin corpse absorbed, the Chaos Space grew rapidly.
In a short time, the internal world had expanded from a radius of 3,000 li to 4,500 li. A staggering increase—one that redefined the tower's internal structure. The sky was higher, the earth thicker, the boundaries stronger. The energy within—both spiritual and mystical—grew deeper and richer. Flowers, grasses, and trees began to sprout across fertile plains.
It was a real world—not an illusion.
Each Heaven-Opening Divine Artifact in the tower pulsed with divine light, infused with natural Dao rhythms. Heaven and earth origin energy naturally refined and nurtured them.
Even the drifting sights along the river were strange.
The yin corpses were utterly bizarre—each more unique than the last. Some were even the remains of divine beasts like the Qingluan. A single one of those corpses could massively expand the tower's world.
Why so many powerful beings had ended up here was a mystery.
It was truly eerie.
Time passed silently. There was no sense of its flow in this realm. No one knew how long they had drifted. But the Heavenly Emperor's Tower had now reached an internal world radius of 5,000 li. The number of corpses fished up, and the energy gained, were simply unimaginable.
"Look! What's that?"Suddenly, Song Yuting cried out, pointing toward the shore.
Everyone looked—and there, not far away, a giant gate loomed.
It was hazy, flickering in and out of focus. Around it swirled horrific scenes—ferocious ghosts, bloodthirsty asura, demonic beasts of the underworld. The aura it exuded was terrifying. Just looking at it sparked a primal fear. A reverence. A dread.
"That is the Gates of the Underworld."The Soul Ferryman said, calm and indifferent.
It looked like a great archway. Three bold words hung above it: "Gates of the Underworld". Legend had it this was the second checkpoint after death, the second stop before reaching the netherworld.
Eighteen ghost kings and many minor guards stood watch. Impenetrable. No soul passed without inspection. No one could cross without a pass.
The first time, souls were led by guides or ferrymen and didn't need passes. But leaving afterward? That required a valid permit. Without it, the gate wouldn't open.
That was the rule.
"Alright. The Gates have appeared. Your time here is over. Whether you live to leave or die and stay... depends on your fate. Go now."With a flick of the ferryman's bamboo pole, a force seized Yi Tianxing and the others. In the next instant, they vanished from the raft and reappeared on shore.
"So strong... I couldn't even resist."Wushuang Ghost muttered in awe.
"We're on land now. Incredible power. But... that's the Gates of the Underworld. How do we get there?"Li Tianming asked, glancing at Jiang Ni and Yi Tianxing for answers.
"Such beautiful flowers..."Song Yuting's eyes lit up, mesmerized.
They followed her gaze—and there, on the shore, grew a strange and radiant flower. A flower of unmatched beauty and color.
"The Road of the Yellow Springs... those are Bianhua—the Flowers of the Other Shore."Jiang Ni's face turned grim.
Blossoms of vivid crimson radiated an eerie glow. They bloomed rapidly, as though awakened from a long slumber.
"Bianhua... flowers without leaves. Leaves without flowers. The Flower of Hell."Yi Tianxing murmured, his eyes glinting.
This was a mythical flower—found only in the Underworld. Nowhere else could it grow. Bright as blood, it was a flower of death, of passage, and of mystery.